Internal combustion engine



3, 1965 M. w. DOLPHIN 3,198,181

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Nov. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1(0% O 24 5 CO4 TV 80 2 8, *i' '-s2 l4- 58 5O 187 N INVENTOR.

MAYNARD w. DOLPHIN $76.2 BYwJ 4. M/

Aug. 3, 1965 M. w. DOLPHIN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original FiledNov. 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AlR \NTAKE \01 u EN:\NE X b v 8 on. 7 v 1EL v \FPEJPOR Hfi m n. GENERATORW FUEL t 2 EXHGAB O4 1 Inc. EXH'GAs\GNVTKDN 7 5 B.D.C. VALVE even 5 Vs. CRANK ANQLE46 INVENTOR. MAYNARD W.DOLPHM H\& AGENT chamber the necessary mixture of air and fuel.

United States Patent 3,198,181 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Maynard W.Dolphin, 844 Hackett St, Beloit, Wis. Continuation of application Ser.No. 324,785, Nov. 19, 1963. This application Dec. 10, 1964, Scr. No.419,278 Claims. (6i. 123-59) This application is a continuation of myprior application, Serial No. 324,785, filed November 19, 1963, which isnow abandoned.

The instant invention relate to reciprocating internal combustionengines and particularly to an engine having a rotatable tubular valveand cylinder head arrangement with means to control the admission offresh air and of gaseous fuel separately and independently into thecombution chambers of the engine. The invention further contemplates amethod of delivering gaseous fuel and fresh air for combustionseparately into the cylinders.

The invention is especially adapted for application to two-stroke-cycleengines, though not so restricted.

Internal combustion engines are classified in terms of their principalfeatures in many ways for purposes of study and analysis. For example,aspiration engines are those which employ the suction effect of all orpart of the inward piston stroke to draw into the combustion Injectionengines, on the other hand, are those which employ divers means to forceliquid fuel into the combustion chamber, usually at the instant at whichignition is to take place.

The engine of the present invention relates to the injection enginerather than to the aspiration engine and is intended to expand upon theinherent advantages of injection engines by providing method and meansfor the injection of airless dense gaseous fuel rather than liquid.

Many workers in the prior art have proposed the introduction into thecombustion chamber of an internal combustion engine various kinds ofgaseous fuel mixtures, often achieved by applying heat to combustiblemixtures of air and fuel. So far as I am aware these attempts havegenerally resulted only in a reduction of the quantity of potential fuelenergy delivered into the cylinder, because of the concomitant reductionin volumetric eificiency, and the desired advantages have not beenattained.

Since the present engine is not an aspiration engine in the ordinarysense of the word and is intended to breathe uncarbureted air and densegaseous fuel it can be said to be unrelated to the class of enginesemploying carburetors and like devices for the premixture of air andfuel.

he injection class of engines require fuel pumps and controls of highprecision and complexity in order to deliver relatively small, perfectlyequal, charges of liquid fuel through the distribution system andthrough very fine nozzles to attain the desired degree of mixing withinthe cylinders of the engine. Up to the present time this type of fueldelivery has been most successfully employed in engines of the dieseltype. The extreme precision as well as the high pressures employed makessuch fuel systems quite sensitive to the presence of foreign material inthe fuel.

A considerable number of workers in the prior art also have developedengines employing rotary valves for the introduction of air-fuelmixtures and for the disposal of products of the combustion to exhaust.In all instances of which I am aware these designs have exposed therotary valves to the high temperatures, corrosion products, andlubrication problems attendant upon the handling therethrough of theexhausted gases.

It is therefore an object of my invention to overcome the mentioneddisadvantages found in the engines of the prior art.

, A further object of my invention is to provide a method of operationof an internal combustion engine wherein dense, airless, gaseous fueland combustion air are separately introduced into the combustion space,and mixed and burned therein.

Another objects of my invention is to provide a tubular rotatable valvemember having one or more sets of ports for air and a correspondingnumber of sets of admission canals for fuel and thereby a relativelyslower rotational movement of the valve member.

Another object hereof is to avoid the limitations on cylinder combustionspace size and shape which are imposed by the size and lift ofconventional poppet type valves.

A further object of my invention is to provide a two stroke cycle enginewhich more closely approaches the theoretical advantage of twice thepower output obtained from the comparable four stroke cycle engine.

The foregoing, and other objects, features and advantages will becomeapparent or be explicitly set forth in the following descriptiontogether with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a preferred embodimentof the engine of the instant invention.

FEGURE 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line IIH of FEGURE1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan view of air and fuel inlet means for onetypical cylinder, taken as indicated by line III-III of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view of an alternative form of fuelinlet means, taken on line IVIV of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram of fuel and air supply of the instantinvention.

FIGURE 6 is a valve event diagram applicable to the engine of theinstant invention.

FIGURE 7 is a partial perspective view of a form of the valve member ofthe invention.

The method and apparatus of this invention are applicaable toreciprocating combustion engines in general. For purposes of thedescription the drawings in general and particularly FIGURES l and 2show in simplified schematic form a reciprocating engine having threecylinders in line. As the description proceeds it will be obvious thatthe number of cylinders, or banks of cylinders is immaterial and thatother known variants of engine design also may employ the instantinvention.

The engine 10 shown comprise a cylinder block 12, three cylinders 14,14', 14", having vertical axes 16, pistons 18, 1S, 1%" reciprocablewithin the respective cylinders along the said axes 16 and connected bythe usual connecting rods, piston pins, to the respective throws of acrankshaft (not shown). Through the cylinder wall, a series of exhaustports 20 are provided to permit the spent gases, the products ofcombustion, to escape into an exhaust collector pipe (not shown). Theseports 20 are located to be uncovered by piston 18 at the lower end ofits stroke. As will be further explained hereinafter the products ofcombustion and the scavenging air flow are moved outwardly through portsfor disposal at the end of the combustion stroke.

Cylinder head 22 in FIGURE 1 includes a multiplicity of fins 24. Thesefins provide for the dissipation of heat to the ambient atmosphere andare intended to be representative only, since the engine may be eitherair or liquid cooled.

The top surface 26 of the cylinder block 12 is finished in a planesurface to engage a corresponding plane finished surface 28 of thecylinder head 22. A gasket (not shown) is also used. In the cylinderhead 22 pockets 30, 30, 30 (depending upon the desired clearance volume)form the cylinder head boundary of the combustion space for eachcylinder. Both size and shape of the clearance 'vergence.

volume of an internal combustion engine have an important effectuponthe'compression ratio and upon the tendency of certain fuels topre-ignite, called detonation or ping. An advantage of this invention isthe increased freedom to size and to shape the combustion chamber ascontrasted to the restrictions in designing the combustion chambertomake adequate provisions for size and lift of member, not forming apart of this invention, are not shown. It will, of course, be desirableto provide for such lubrication by measures well known in the art suchas'oil grooving, or the like to minimize friction and wear duringrotation. It is a specific feature of this invention that the rotatabletubular valve member is not required to transmit exhaust gases and toresist the attendant heat and'corrosion associated therewith, but is onthe other hand maintained at relatively lower temperatures due to thepassage of scavenging and combustion air through the interior of thesleeve as will be subsequently further 7 described. 7

gate openings 36 36', 36'? providing for flow communicau tion from thevalve bore 32 to the pocket 30 of the combustion. chamber. As will beapparent, the rate of air Preferably'these openings should be sized forair velocities of from ten to twenty-five thousand feet per minute. i

The length, i.e., the distance traversed by the entering air fromthe'wall of the bore 32to the combustion space pocket 30 is a permanentpart of the clearance volume The cylinder head 22 is provided with ashroud 56 which joins a like shroud 58 attached to the cylinder block12. With timing [gear case over 60 an enclosed chamber is formed for theretention of lubricant and exclusion of foreign material from the timinggear train.

Engaging thelarge end of the tapered tubular valve sleeve member 34 is afresh air' supply tube 62. This tube is mounted on the timing gear casecover 60 and carries an extension 64 telescopingly engaged with anextension 66 of the valve member 34. Seal means not shown in the form ofthe customary 0 rings are provided topermit the axial expansionorfreedom for the valve member while avoiding the introduction of airinto the timing gear case,

and'the risks of crank case explosion due to air entry.

and must beconsidered in determiningthe compression j ratio of theengine. admission of airless dense gaseous fuel are located betweentheair gates 36. The nozzle 38 may take a number of forms, as will bediscussed subsequently herein, to' conduct a flow of gas communicatingbetween the valve bore 32 and cylinder combustion space 30. The flowarea of this passage is preferably based upon the same general velocityof flow as has been mentioned for air flow. This results, of course, inan'area from one eighth to one twentieth of the airflow gate area andwill be selected in accordance with the desired air-fuel volumetricratio.

The cylinder head is provided with a counterbore 40 coaxial with mainvalve bore 32 through the head 22 and terminating at the smaller end ofthe bore in a seat 42 which supports the thrust reaction of a spring 44.Those skilled in the art will recognize that the practical constructionmay take diverse forms and may make use of commercial anti-frictionthrust bearings if desired.

The tubular valve sleeve member 34'is closed at its small end and hasafiixed thereto a coaxial stud or tank 46. The spring thrust is appliedto a stop means or nut 48. The action of the spring 44 therefore is tourge the tapered tubular valve sleeve member 34 toward the smaller endof bore 32 into close running relationship with the valve bore 32 in thecylinder head 22.

The opposite, larger end of the valve sleeve member 34 Fuel nozzles 38,38, 38" for the has fitted thereon one of a pair of helical timinggears" 50, 52 by which means the tubular valve is driven in timedrelation with the rotation of the crankshaft (not shown) and which inturn establishes the desired timed with the piston reciprocation.

As is well known, heilcal gears produce an axial thrust componentproportional to the load transmitted by one to another. In thisinvention, this property is employed to produce a slight axial thrustoutward against action of the spring. By this means a change in thefrictional resistance torque of the tubular valve member automaticallyproduces anincreased corresponding axial thrust which tends to reducethe frictional torque, thereby maintalning the tubular valve sleeve in afreely rotatable condition;

The pair of helical gears 50, 52 described may be driven from thecrankshaft by a sequence of gears 54, as shown, in FIGURE 1, or by atiming chain, from a chain sprocket mounted on the crankshaft (notshown).

Specific means for the lubrication of the rot atable'valve relation Thetubular valve sleeve member 34 and the cylinder head bore 32 in which itis mounted extend the full length'of the engine block 12 to serve eachof the cylinders 14 included therein with fresh air and with densegaseous fuel. As has been described the outer surface of the valvemember is tapered to match the taper of the cylinder head valve bore 32.The inner wall surface 68 ofthe tube is likewise tapered preferably soas to maintain a relatively uniform Wall thickness throughout. The tubeinterior 7 0 receives fresh air under positive gauge pressure at itslarge end from the air supply blower or pump, FIGURE 5. Fresh air isforced to flow axially through the tube to be delivered to each of thecylinders in turn. The valve member has a patttern of air-ports radiallythrough its wall, each .set being angularly disposed with respect toother sets so as to introduce air into each cylinder at a predeterminedpiston position, or crankshaft angle. I

By reference to FIGURE'l it will be observed that ports 72, 72, 72"radially through the tubular wall will come into registration with gates36, 36', 36" of cylinders 14 so as to admit fresh pressurized airthereto. The peripheral extent of each of the air-ports, as well as theangular location of such ports, are'deterrnined by the crank anglechosen for air admission and air cut-olf events as is discussed indetail below. Also indicated in FIGURE 7, a pluralityof sets ofportsis'represented serving thesame cylinder air gates and therebyenabling the slower rotational speed and a timing ratio of one-half ashas been previously discussed. The port width is determined tocorrespond with the axial length selected of the air gates in thecylinder head.

A feature of the invention is the placement of the tubular valve memberso that its axis makes equal angles with the axis of the cylinders andso that a generatrix of the cone of the bore is parallel to thecrankshaft axis which in turn permits the air admission gates to be madeas long .as approximately 70% of the cylinder diameter. Thus the flowcapacity for entrance of air is equal to or greater than attainable withpoppet type valves; combustion chamber size and shape can be selectedwith greater freedom. Thus even at low rotational velocities the valveaction is quick and substantially no throttling of air flow occurs.Moreover, the flow of fresh air through the gates into the cylindercombustion space tends to minimize, the harmful effects of thecombustion temperatures to whichthe cylinder head is exposed.

FIGUREZ shows a transverse elevation of engine 10, a section view takenat line II--II of FIGURE 1. Cylinder head bore 32 receives the tubularvalve member 34. In the wall of valve 34-, a canal 83 provides periodiccommunication from dense gas fuel passage 82 to nozzle 38, as dictatedby the timed rotation of the valve member 34. Canal it is of sufiicientradial depth in the valve wall to provide a transverse areaapproximately equal to the flow area of passage 82. It is closed to thevalve interior 7d. The peripheral extent of canal 8% determines the fueladmission and cut-off events, as more fully discussed in connection withFIGURE 6 hereof. Canal 80 and passage 82, serving cylinder 14, areduplicated in valve 34 at other cylinders.

Means supplying dense gas fuel is connected at flange 86, as shown anddiscussed hereinbelow (FIGURE Dense gaseous fuel at substantial pressureflows into cylinder 14 through nozzle 33. Pressurized fresh airsimultaneously entering cylinder 14 through gates 36 (FIG- URE 1) mixesturbulently and thoroughly with the gaseous fuel as piston 18 movesoutwardly (from the crankshaft) compressing the now combustible chargeinto combustion space, pocket 30. Combustion is initiated in theconventional manner by spark plug 88.

FIGURE 3, a plan of the cylinder head pocket 30, shows the gates 36through which air enters the cylinder 14. Gates 36, preferably arerelatively long and narrow to be opened and closed rapidly. Slot lengthmay be as much as about 70% of the cylinder diameter.

FIGURE 4, shows in section (taken along line lV--IV of FIGURE 2) analternative form of nozzle 39 by which the entering stream of gas isdeflected to intercept the combustion air delivered into cylinder lid.An insert 41 with hole 43 terminating in cross passage 45 conducts fuelgas received via canal 8% (FIGURE 2) deflecting the gas into early andthorough mixing with the combustion air.

In FIGURE 5 is shown a schematic fiow diagram of fuel and air supply forthe engine of the instant invention. Fresh air at elevated pressure issupplied to air supply tube 62 by a pump or blower ltlil. Preferably ablower of the positive displacement type is used, although certainengines can use the centrifugal type of blower. The blower may bemounted on and driven by the engine or separately as by a motor M. Theair supplied may be, and for maximum effective operation over a Wideloadspeed range preferably is, controlled by a throttle 192 and from thethrottle is delivered to the air supply 62 previously described.

The fuel supply is neither a mixture of air-and-liquid nor liquid alonebut is an uncarbureted gas delivered at elevated pressure. The gas maybe the commonly used liquid petroleum gas or LPG, a readily availablefuel which is principally butane, propane or similar petroleumhydrocarbons. It is maintained as liquid in high pressure containersbecoming a gas at moderate gauge pressures and may therefore bedelivered through suitable pressure regulating means directly to valvegas passage previously described. The flow diagram of FIGURE 5 includesschematically a vapor gas generator 1% which is more fully disclosed inmy application Serial 324,784, filed November 19, 1963, now abandoned,and in my copending application Serial No. 418,949, filed December 10,1964. This vapor generator receives liquid fuel, supplied by a pump Hi6which, by the controlled application of waste engine heat, is convertedto gas at a positive gauge pressure predetermined according to the powerrequirements of the engine. This gas is conducted to the engine througha throttle valve 118 which may be manually, remotely, or automaticallycontrolled. The fuel gas throttle 113 and the air throttle 102 areinterconnected by a mechanical linkage 12% by which means the fuel-airratio can be selected and controlled throughout the range of fuel flow.

FIGURE 6 is a valve event diagram which shows schematically a typicalseries of valving events as occur in one cylinder and in one revolutionof the crankshaft. it

will be understood that this may represent one revolution, one-halfrevolution, or other fraction of revolutions of the valve sleeve member.Since the appropriate positioning of the events in terms of crankrotation will be dependent upon the type of fuel chosen and the servicefor which the engine is intended, which choices are well known andunderstood to those skilled in the art, it is considered to bepositively misleading to specify exact crank angles for the variousevents. The numerical values shown, therefore, are general indicationsand do not necessarily represent a single preferable combination. Forconvenience in description the sequence of events will begin at thebottom dead-center BDC which is the position shown of piston in cylinder14" of FIGURE 1. In this position the exhaust passages 20 are fullyuncovered by the piston 1%", cylinder air gates 36" and air ports 72 ofthe valve sleeve member 34 are in register for the passage of scavengingair therethrough. Fresh air from blower supply line enters and flowsaxially within the tubular valve member 34 and blows radially outwardthrough the air port 72" into the top of the cylinder 14" therebyforcing the spent gases and products of combustion outwardly through theexhaust ports 20 into the previously mentioned exhaust collector pipes(not shown). Moving outward or upwardly, the piston 18" covers theexhaust openings Zil; fresh air continues to enter; at about this crankangle the gaseous fuel canal 89 in the outer surface of the tubularsleeve valve member 34 opens communication for fuel from the gas passage82 into the gas nozzle 3d and airless dense gaseous fuel is introducedinto the top of the combustion chamber to intermix with the enteringair. The piston continues to rise in the cylinder, reducing the volumeand thereby increasing the pressure. As this pressure increaseapproaches the pressure of the air being supplied, the valve member 34,rotating, closes the air gate 36". The gaseous fuel, being supplied atrelatively higher pressure, is closed at the same or later crank-angleas is indicated by the diagram. The combustion chamber is now closed,the piston continues to rise further compressing the charge to thedesired ignition point.

At a predetermined crank-angle the charge is ignited, by a spark from aspark plug; burning is initiated. As is usual the spark is applied somedegrees ahead of the top dead-center point TDC both to gain burning timeso as to complete the combustion of fuel, and also to counteractpartially or entirely the momentum of the piston and connecting rod atthe end of the stroke. The

combustion process then continues through the charge from the ignitionpoint to its completion and from the TDC point the products ofcombustion continue to expand, the piston moving inwardly or downwardlyto the point at which the exhaust pasages 2.0 are again opened. At thispoint a cylinder pressure drops off rapidly and valve sleeve member 34continuing to rotate opens the air gates 36 to admit fresh air for thescavenging or purging operation.

Preferably, the exhaust passages are opened at the smallest time orcrank-angle, ahead of BDC which will permit the cylinder pressure todrop to the level of the air supply system pressure. (This higher airsupply pressure enables shorter exhaust time.) In the enginemodification shown the scavenging air enters the cylinder in veryturbulent flow having a relatively iiat velocity profile and tendstherefore to push the spent gas downward to the exhaust passage withrelatively little intermixing so that the scavenging is unusuallythorough.

By so reducing the exhaust period and intake peirod, the enginedescribed is enabled to utilize nearly all of the inward stroke todeliver power to the crankshaft, thus more nearly approaching thetheoretical 2:1 advantage over the 4-cycle engine.

By providing to the cylinders of this engine both fresh air and gaseousfuel at positive gauge pressure the volu- '7 metric efficiency can bevery considerably increasedrelative to the comparable aspiration engine.

In FIGURE 7 there is shown an alternative form of the rotatable tubularvalve member (34 of FIGURE 1).

The perspective view shows a portion only ofvalve member 134, such as tocorrespond with portions of valve member 34 associated with cylinder 14,gates 36, nozzle 38 in FIGURE 1. e

Air ports 172a and 172b, with canals 180a and 18% comprisetwo sets, aand b, of air and fuel valve means.

Rotation of valve member 134 moves set a through a will cause (exactly)one-half revolution for each firing.

stroke of piston 18. -With three sets of ports in such valve member, thevalve member must rotate one third revolution for each firing stroke. Byobvious logic, the engine timing drive ratio: (revolutions of valvemember)-':(firing strokes of one piston) must equal l/N, where Nrepresents the number of sets of air ports 172,.

and of canals 180, disposed peripherally around the valve member foreach cylinder.-

Among the advantages of this feature is the use of lower surface speedor of lower rotational speed for the valve member. Moreover, itsdiameter may be larger, stronger, stiffer, to resist higher cylindercombustion pressures.

The invention further provides a method of operat ing, of fueling aninternal combustion engine, preferably of thetwo-stroke cycle type. Fueland air are mixed to combustible proportion only within the engine,taking advantage of the fact that gases intermix, diffuse into oneanother many times more rapidlythan do liquids, however finelydispersed. Fresh air under considerable pressure flows into theenginepurging burned gasescooling the combustion chamber. Dense gas fuelis introduced, preferably at pressure slightly higher than the air.

-Air admission to the engine cylinder, interrupted during thecompression-combustion part of the cycle, requires a minimum part'of thecycle, 90 of crank rotation or less.

In the two cycle modification preferred, the engine has no intakesuction stroke, combustion air being supplied under positive gaugepressure at the beginning of the compression stroke. In certain enginesa suction breaker valve may be provided to facilitate starting.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have providedan internal combustion enginehaving a rota-table tubular sleeve valveand cylinder head arrangement adapted to the separate admission of freshair and gaseous fuel and a method of operating a reciprocal internalengine which meets the objects declared and provides. the features andadvantages disclosed herein. I have set forth in the foregoingdescription the best mode presently known to me of-putting my inventioninto practice. I have indicated certain equivalent constructions andothers will be apparent to those skilled in the art as being suitable inthe practice of my invention. I do not desire to be limited to the exactdetails of construction shown and described but only as particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed belo'w.

I claim: r e

'1. An internal combustion engine having one or more I e 8 cylinders andpistons reciprocable along axes of said cylindens comprising a cylinderhead an interior wall defining a bore gate means in said headopeninginto each cylinder from said bore nozzle'means separate and apartin the head from said gate means 7 gas passage means opening into saidbore from an exterior surface of said cylinder head a rotatable tubularvalve member fitted into said bore open at one end to admit fresh airaxially thereinto timing means driving said valve member in timedrelation with said pistons port means of predetermined partialperipheral extent open radially through the wall of said valve membermeans defining canai closed to communication with the interior of saidvalve member periodic opening of flow communication from said gaspassage to said nozzle means.

2. Aninternal com'bustion engine of the two-strokecycle class having oneor more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of said cylinder-sa cylinder head having an interior wall defining a bore gate means inhead opening into each cylinder from said bore nozzle means separate andapart in the head from said gate means gas passage means opening intosaid bore from an exterior surface of said cylinder head a rotatabletubularvalve member open at one end to admit fresh air axiallythereinto' I timing means driving said valve member in timed relationwith said pistons port means of predetermined partial peripheral extentopen radially through the wall of said valve member for peroidicregistration with said gate means means defining canal closed tocommunication with the interior of said valve member I periodic openingof flowcommunication from said gas passage to said nozzle means 7 blowersupplying fresh air at positive gauge pressure into the interior of saidvalve member means supplying airless dense gas fuel separate and apartfrom said blower to said gas passage means.

3. In an internal combustion engine of the two-strokecycle class havingone or more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of saidcylinders the combinations comprising a cylinder head an interior walldefin'mg a tapered bore gate means in said head opening into eachcylinder from said bore nozzle means separate'and apart in the head fromsaid gate means gals passage means opening into said bore from anexterior surface of said cylinder head, a tapered rotatable tubularvalve member fitted into 7 said bore open at one end to admit fresh airaxially thereinto' Q timing means driving said valve member in timedrelation with said pistons por-t'means of predetermined partialperipheral extent open radially through the wall of said valve memberfor periodic registration with said gate'means means defining canalclosed to communication with the interior of said valve member periodicopening'of fiow communication from said gas passage to said nozzle meansblower supplying fresh air'at positivegauge pressure into the interiorof said valve member means supplying airless dense gas fuel separateand. apart from said blower to said gas passage means.

4. An internal combustion engine of the two-strokecycle class having oneor more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of said cylindersa cylinder head having an interior wall defining a bore gate means insaid head opening into each cylinder from said bore nozzle meansseparate and apart in the head from said gate means gas passage meansopening into said bore from an exterior surface of said cylinder head arotatable tubular valve member open at one end to admit fresh airaxially thereinto timing means driving said valve member in timedrelation with said pistons port means of predetermined partialperipheral extent open radially through the wall of said valve memberfor periodic registration with said gate means means defining canalclosed to communication with the interior of said valve member periodicopening of flow communication from said gas passage to said nozzle meansblower supplying fresh air at positive gauge pressure into the interiorof said valve member means supplying airless dense gas fuel separate andapart from said blower to said gas passage means spring means urgingsaid valve member toward the smaller end of said bore.

5. An internal combustion engine of the two-strokecycle class having oneor more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of said cylinderscomprising a cylinder head an interior wall defining a tapered bore gatemeans in said head opening into each cylinder from said bore nozzlemeans separate and apart in the head from said gate means having meansdeflecting gas flow therefrom to intercept air flow from said gate meansgas passage means opening into said bore from an exterior surface ofsaid cylinder head a tapered rotatable tubular valve member fitted intosaid bore open at one end to admit fresh air axially thereinto timingmeans driving said valve member in timed relation with said pistons portmeans of predetermined partial peripheral extent open radially throughthe wall of said valve member for periodic registration with said gatemeans means defining canal closed to communication with the interior ofsaid valve member periodic opening of flow communication blowersupplying fresh air at positive gauge pressure into the interior of saidvalve member eans supplying airless dense gas fuel separate and apartfrom said blower to said gas passage means.

6. An internal combustion engine of the two-strokecycle class having oneor more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of said cylinder acylinder head having an interior Wall defining a bore gate means in saidhead opening into each cylinder from said bore nozzle means separate andapart in the head from said gate means gas passage means opening intosaid bore from an exterior surface of said cylinder head a rotatabletubular valve member open at one end to admit fresh air axiallythereinto timing means driving said valve member in timed relation withsaid pistons port means of predetermined partial peripheral extent openradially through the wall of said valve member for periodic registrationwith said gate means means defining canal closed to communication withthe interior of said valve member periodic opening of flow communicationfrom said gas passage to said nozzle means blower supplying fresh air atpositive gauge pressure into the interior of said valve member meanssupplying airless dense gas fuel separate and apart from said blower tosaid gas passage means throttling means regulating said fresh airsupply.

'7. An internal combustion engine of the two-strokecycle class havingone or more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of saidcylinders a cylinder head having an interior wall defining a bore gatemeans in said head opening into each cylinder from said bore nozzlemeans separate and apart in the head from said gate means gas passagemeans opening into said bore from an exterior surface of said cylinderhead a rotatable tubular valve member open at one end to admit fresh airaxially thereinto timing means driving said valve member in tin edrelation with said pistons port means of predetermined partialperipheral extent open radially through the wall of said valve memberfor periodic registration with said gate means means defining canalclosed to communication with the interior of said valve member periodicopening of how communication from said gas passage to said nozzle meansblower supplying fresh air at positive gauge pressure into the interiorof said valve member means supplying airless dense gas fuel separate andapart from said blower to said gas passage means throttling meansregulating said airless dense gas fuel.

:8. An internal combustion engine of the two-strokecycle class havingone or more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of saidcylinders a cylinder head having an interior wall defining a bore gatemeans in said head opening into each cylinder from said bore nozzlemeans separate and apart in the head from said gate means gas passagemeans opening into said bore from an exterior surface of said cylinderhead a rotatable tubular valv member open at one end to admit fresh airaxially thereinto timing means driving said valve member in timedrelation with said pistons port means of predetermined partialperipheral extent open radially through the wall of said valve memberfor periodic registration with said gate means means defining canalclosed to communication with the interior of said valve member periodicopening of flow communication from said gas passage to said nozzle meansblower supplying fresh air at positive gauge pressure into the interiorof said valve member means supplying airless dense gas fuel separate andapart from said blower to said gas passage means throttlin meansregulating said fresh air supply throttling means regulating saidairless dense gas fuel linkage means interconnecting said firstthrottling means and second throttling means.

9. An internal combustion engine having one or more cylinders andpistons reciprocable along axes of said cylinders comprising a cylinderhead an interior wall defining a bore gate means in said head openinginto each cylinder from said bore nozzle means separate and apart in thehead from said gate means gas passage means opening into said bore froman exterior surface of said cylinder head a rotatable tubular valvemember fitted into said bore open at one end to admit fresh air axiallythereinto timing means driving said valve member in timed relation withsaid pistons l1 a plurality or port means of predeterminedpartialperipheral extent open radially through the Wall of said valve member iY a plurality of means defining canals clos-ed to communication with theinterior, of said valve membersuccessive periodic registration with saidgate means and periodic opening of flow communication from said gaspassage to said nozzle means respectively, said timing means drivingsaid Valve member at l/N times firing strokes of piston, N being equalto the number of port means means defining canals per cylinder in saidrotatable tubular valve member.

it An internal combustion engine of the two-stroke cycle class havingone or more cylinders and pistons reciprocable along axes of saidcylinders a cylinder head having an interior Wall defining a bore havinga small diameter end and a large diameter end i gate means in said headopening into each cylinder from said bore nozzle means separate andapart in the head from said gate means gas passage means openinginto'said bore from an exterior surface of said cylinder head I arotatable tubular valve member open at one end to admit fresh airaxially thereinto timing means driving said valvemember in timedrelation with said pistons port means of predetermined partialperipheral extent open radially through the Wall of said valve memberfor periodic registration with said gate means me-ans defining canalclosed to communication with the interior of said valve member periodicopening of flow communication from said gas passage to said nozzle meansblower supplying fresh air at positive gauge pressure into the interiorof said valve member rneans supplying air-less dense gas'fuel separateand apart from said blower to said gas passage means spring means urgingsaid valve member toward the smaller end of said bore said timing meansincluding a pair of helical gears producing axial thrust urging saidvalve member toward the larger end of said bore;

References Cited by the Examiner 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS FRED E.ENGELTHALER, Primary Examiner.

7/59 Sbaiz 123-32 X

1. AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING ONE OR MORE CYLINER AND PISTONSRECIPROCABLE ALONG AXES OF SAID CYLINDERS COMPRISING A CYLINDER HEAD ANINTERIOR WALL DEFINING A BORE GATE MEANS IN SAID HEAD OPENING INTO EACHCYLINDER FROM SAID BORE NOZZLE MEANS SEPARATE AND APART IN THE HEAD FROMSAID GATE MEANS GAS PASSAGE MEANS OPENING INTO SAID BORE FROM ANEXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID CYLINDER HEAD A ROTATABLE TUBULAR VALVE MEMBERFITTED INTO SAID BORE OPEN AT ONE END TO ADMIT FRESH AIR AXIALLYTHEREINTO